Accessory for a conveyance

ABSTRACT

An accessory for a conveyance comprises a receiving element for receiving a data recording device, more particularly, a digital camera. An electrical connection is contained in the receiving element for engaging corresponding contacts of the data recording device to enable data to be downloaded from the device.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a printer for a conveyance and to aconveyance including such printer.

In this specification, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise,the term “conveyance” is to be understood in a broad sense as any formof device which conveys persons and/or goods and includes, but is notnecessarily limited to, road vehicles, rail vehicles, aircraft,spacecraft and waterborne craft.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

These days, more and more information is provided to people. Theinformation is made available in various forms, including audible formsand visual forms. Often, the information is made available to persons ina conveyance.

There are situations where it is desirable to have a record of suchinformation. To date, making a record of such information means that theperson needs some means to record the information, for example, on amagnetic recording medium by way of a dictation machine or by makingwritten notes on paper. Often such recording devices are not readily tohand and vital information can be lost.

CO-PENDING APPLICATIONS

Various methods, systems and apparatus relating to the present inventionare disclosed in the following co-pending applications filed by theapplicant or assignee of the present invention on 12 Feb. 2003:PCT/AU03/ PCT/AU03/00151 PCT/AU03/00150 PCT/AU03/00145 00154 PCT/AU03/PCT/AU03/00152 PCT/AU03/00168 PCT/AU03/00169 00153 PCT/AU03/PCT/AU03/00162 PCT/AU03/00146 PCT/AU03/00159 00170 PCT/AU03/PCT/AU03/00149 PCT/AU03/00167 PCT/AU03/00158 00171 PCT/AU03/PCT/AU03/00166 PCT/AU03/00164 PCT/AU03/00163 00147 PCT/AU03/PCT/AU03/00160 PCT/AU03/00157 PCT/AU03/00148 00165 PCT/AU03/PCT/AU03/00155 00156

The disclosures of these co-pending applications are incorporated hereinby cross-reference.

RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS AND PATENTS

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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided an accessory for aconveyance, the accessory comprising:—

-   -   a receiving element for receiving a data recording device; and    -   an electrical connection means contained in said element for        engaging corresponding contacts of said device to enable data to        be downloaded from said device.

In particular, the data recording device may be in the form of a digitalcamera and the receiving element may be dimensioned to accommodate thecamera therein. Thus, the receiving element may comprise asocket-defining member or slot.

The socket-defining member may be contained in a fitting in a passengercompartment of the conveyance, the socket-defining member having itselectrical connection means wired to a wiring circuit of the conveyance.The fitting of the passenger compartment may be selected from the groupcomprising a dashboard, a console, a central arm rest, a door arm rest,a glovebox, a glovebox lid, a parcel shelf, a storage compartment and anoverhead fitting. Those skilled in the art will, however, appreciatethat any other suitable location in the passenger compartment could beemployed to mount the printer such as, footwells of the passengercompartment, a back rest of front seats of the vehicle, includingheadrests thereof, a rear arm rest, a rear parcel shelf, or the like.

In one embodiment of the invention, the socket-defining member may becontained in an audio unit, the audio unit being receivable in thefitting and being connectable to a wiring circuit of the conveyance. Theaudio unit may include a display. Further, the audio unit may includesatellite navigation equipment, a television receiver or both which makeuse of the display for displaying images.

The audio unit may also include a printer. Then, the accessory mayinclude control means so that data to be downloaded from the datarecording device, more particularly, the digital camera, is able to bepreviewed on the display.

In another embodiment of the invention, a printer may be mounted in thepassenger compartment, in an appropriate fitting of the passengercompartment, the printer communicating with the socket-defining membervia the wiring circuit of the conveyance.

In this embodiment, the printer may also communicate with the audio unitvia the wiring circuit of the conveyance.

The printer may be a full color printer. More particularly, the printermay be a photo quality color printer.

Further, the printer may be an inkjet printer and may comprise apagewidth inkjet printhead. The printhead may comprise an inkjet nozzlearray, the array being fabricated by microelectromechanical techniques.

The applicant has developed low cost printheads that can perform well inhostile environments such as in the interior of a conveyance where theconveyance is subjected to disturbances from external sources andextremes of temperature. In addition, due to the technology employed insuch printheads, being the applicant's Memjet technology (Memjet is atrade mark of Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd), a very compact form ofprinthead can be fabricated.

This lends itself to a compact printer that can be installed in aconveyance where space is often at a premium.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred and exemplary embodiment of the invention will now bedescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:—

FIG. 1 shows a three dimensional, front view of a device in the form ofa printer, in accordance with the invention, for a conveyance;

FIG. 2 shows a three dimensional, rear view of the printer;

FIG. 3 shows a three dimensional, front view of the printer illustratingcartridge insertion or removal;

FIG. 4 shows a three dimensional view of the printer with a top coverremoved;

FIG. 5 shows a three dimensional, exploded view of the printer;

FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the printer;

FIG. 7 shows a sectional, side view of the printer taken along lineVII-VII in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 shows a sectional, end view of the printer taken along lineVIII-VII in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 shows a first drive arrangement of the printer;

FIG. 10 shows a second drive arrangement of the printer;

FIG. 11 shows a three dimensional, top view of an ink cartridge for theprinter,

FIG. 12 shows a three dimensional, bottom view of the cartridge;

FIG. 13 shows a three dimensional, exploded view of the cartridge;

FIG. 14 shows a plan view of the cartridge;

FIG. 15 shows a sectional, end view taken along line XV-XV in FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 shows a sectional, side view of the cartridge taken along lineXVI-XVI in FIG. 14;

FIG. 17 shows a schematic, plan view of one embodiment of the cartridge;

FIG. 18 shows a schematic, plan view of another embodiment of thecartridge;

FIG. 19 shows a schematic, plan view of a further embodiment of thecartridge;

FIG. 20 shows a schematic, plan view of yet a further embodiment of thecartridge;

FIG. 21 shows a schematic representation of an interior compartment of avehicle indicating various locations for the printer of FIGS. 1 to 10;

FIG. 22 shows a three dimensional view of a vehicle audio unitincorporating a printer, in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 23 shows a three dimensional view of a further vehicle audio unitincorporating a printer and other devices;

FIG. 24 shows a three dimensional view of yet a further vehicle audiounit incorporating the printer; and

FIG. 25 shows a three-dimensional view of still a further vehicle audiounit incorporating a printer and other devices.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally designates aprinter, in accordance with the invention, for a conveyance, as defined.The printer 10 is intended for use in any suitable type of conveyance ofthe type described. However, for ease of reference, the printer 10 willbe described with reference to its application in a motor vehicle.

The printer 10 includes a chassis 12 (FIG. 4) covered by a top cover 16,which has an access opening 18 closed off by a flap 20. The flap 20 isspring biased so that, when a cartridge 22 has been removed from theprinter 10, the flap is urged to the position shown in FIG. 1 of thedrawings.

It is important to note that, in the preferred embodiment, the printer10 does not have any of its own controls and, effectively, is a dumbunit. The unit is therefore preferably actuated from a device from whichit is desired to print material.

The device that sends commands to the printer 10 can either be hardwired to the printer 10, for example, via a wiring loom of the motorvehicle or, instead, the device may send commands to the printer 10 in awireless manner. For this purpose, the printer 10 includes a port 24able to detect wireless communications of some form.

Various forms of wireless communications can be employed such as aninfrared communication system, a personal area network (PAN) systemreferred to as Bluetooth, a radio local area network (LAN) or a digitalcordless telephone system.

Further, the device which communicates with the printer 10 can be ofvarious forms such as, for example, a palm computer, a laptop computer,a mobile telephone, a digital camera, a scanner, a diagnostics systemfor the motor vehicle, a navigation system, a vehicle entertainmentsystem, or the like. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list andthose skilled in the art will readily conceive of other devices that cancommunicate with the printer 10.

The port 24 is mounted on a front face 26 of the printer 10. As shown ingreater detail in FIG. 2 of the drawings, a rear face 28 of the printer10 accommodates a data socket 30 and a power socket 32. It will beappreciated that, when the printer 10 communicates exclusively in awireless manner, the data socket 30 may be omitted.

The printer 10 incorporates a printhead 34 (FIG. 4). The printhead 34 isa pagewidth ink-jet printhead. More particularly, the printhead 34 is afour color printhead, or three color plus infrared ink, printhead thatprints photo quality prints on print media stored in the cartridge 22.The printhead 34 comprises an array of nozzles to provide printing at1600 dpi. The nozzles of the printhead 34 are manufactured using theapplicant's Memjet technology.

The printhead 34 receives commands from a printed circuit board (PCB) 36secured to the chassis 12.

A pair of drive motors 38 and 40 is mounted on a sidewall 42 of thechassis 12. The drive motor 38, which is in the form of a stepper motor,drives a first drive arrangement in the form of a first gear train 44.The first gear train 44 is mounted on a side molding 46 of the chassis12.

The drive motor 40, which is also in the form of a stepper motor, drivesa drive roller 48 via a second drive arrangement. The second drivearrangement comprises a second gear train 50.

The printhead 34 receives ink from ink hoses 52 that communicate with anink supply reservoir 54 (FIGS. 13 and 15) of the cartridge 22 via an inksupply manifold 56, as will be described in greater detail below.

Referring to FIG. 5 of the drawings, an exploded view of the printer 10is illustrated. It is to be noted that the printhead 34 communicateswith the PCB 36 via a TAB film 54.

A slot 58 is defined in the side molding 46. The slot 58 receives acorresponding formation of the cartridge 22 in it. Further, a roller set60 is mounted on a base 62 of the printer 10. The roller set 60comprises a rotatable axle 62. A cog 64 is mounted proximate each end ofthe axle 62. Each cog 64 engages a rack 100, 102 (FIG. 12) on thecartridge 22 for inhibiting skewing of the cartridge 22 as it isinserted into, or withdrawn from, the interior of the printer 10.

The first gear train 44 engages a pick up roller 68 of the printer 10.The pick up roller 68 picks up print media in the form of a sheet ofpaper from a stack 70 of paper (FIG. 13) in the cartridge 22 for feedingto the printhead 34 of the printer 10 when printing is to be effected.

As shown in greater detail in FIG. 9 of the drawings, the first geartrain 44 is powered by the stepper motor 38 via an axle 72 extendingacross the printer 10 to convey power from the stepper motor 38 to thefirst gear train 44. A gear 74 is mounted against the molding 46 at oneend of the axle 72. The gear 74 drives a reduction gear set 76. Further,the reduction gear set 76 communicates with a reversing mechanism 78.Accordingly, the gear train 44 performs two functions. When thereversing mechanism 78 is not selected, the gear train 44 engages anupper rack 80 on the cartridge 22 for feeding the cartridge 22 into theprinter 10 or ejecting the cartridge 22 from the printer 10. Instead,when the reversing mechanism is in the position shown in FIG. 9 of thedrawings, it engages the pick up roller 68 or, more particularly, a gear82 mounted at an end of the pick up roller 68. The gear train 44 thenserves to feed the paper to the drive roller 48 for conveying to theprinthead 34.

Referring now to FIGS. 11 to 20 of the drawings, the cartridge 22 isdescribed in greater detail.

The cartridge 22 comprises a base molding 90. The base molding 90 isclosed off by a metal cover 92. The cover 92 has a pair of transverselyspaced openings 94 defined in a front edge thereof. These openings 94permit the pick up roller 68 of the printer 10 to engage a topmost sheetof the stack 70 of paper within the cartridge 22.

A toothed rack 96 is provided on one side of the cartridge 22. Thetoothed rack 96 defines the upper rack 80, which is engaged by a gear ofthe first gear train 44 for insertion of the cartridge 22 into, or itsejection from, the printer 10. A rib 98 extends longitudinally along theside of the toothed rack 96. The rib 98 is received in the slot 58 inthe side molding 46 of the printer 10. A lower surface of the toothedrack 96 also has the rack 100 (FIG. 12) for engagement with one of thecogs 64. An opposed side of the base molding 90 of the cartridge 22carries the other rack 102, which engages the other, cog 64 forinhibiting skewing of the cartridge 22 when it is inserted into, orejected from, the printer 10.

A feed slot 104 is defined at a front edge of the metal cover throughwhich a sheet of paper to be printed is passed in use. The feed slot 104is partially defined by a plastics strip 106, which inhibits more thanone sheet of paper being fed to the printhead 34 at any one time.

A transversely extending trough 108 is defined outwardly of the strip106. The trough 108 accommodates a sprung roller 110 therein. The roller110 is supported in the trough 108 via a plurality of clips 112.

The roller 110 is biased upwardly relative to a base of the trough 108via a plurality of leaf springs 114. The leaf springs 114 are formedintegrally with an L-shaped metal bracket 116, which partially forms thetrough 108. The roller 110 is a snap-fit in the clips 112.

A platen 118 is accommodated in the base molding 90. The platen 118 isspring biased via a plurality of leaf springs 120 which engage a floor122 of the base molding 90 for urging the stack 70 of paper against thecover 92.

The ink supply reservoir 54 includes an ink supply molding 124 formedintegrally with the base molding 90. The ink supply molding 124 definesa plurality of ink supply channels 126. Each ink supply channel 126contains a particular color of ink. In this context, the term “color” isto be understood as including inks that are invisible in the visiblespectrum such as, for example, infrared inks.

The channels 126 are closed off by a flexible bladder-like membrane 128that is heat-sealed to the molding 124. It will be appreciated that, asink is withdrawn from each channel 126, the associated membrane 128collapses into the channel 126 thereby inhibiting the ingress of airinto that channel 126.

Each channel 126 communicates with an ink outlet 130. Each ink outlet130 is in the form of a rupturable seal.

As shown in greater detail in FIG. 5 of the drawings, the ink supplymanifold 56 of the printer 10 includes pins 132. These pins 132communicate with the ink supply hoses 52. When the cartridge 22 isinserted into the printer 10, and the cartridge 22 is driven home by thegear train 44, the pins 132 pierce the seals 130 to place the hoses 52in communication with their associated ink supply channels 126.

The cartridge 22 includes a quality assurance chip 134. This chip 134ensures correct communications between the cartridge 22 and the printer10 and that the cartridge 22 is of the required quality. The chip 134communicates with the printer 10 via chip contacts 136 mounted on theink supply manifold 56 of the printer 10. Thus, when the cartridge 22 isdriven home by the gear train 44, the chip 134 engages the contacts 136for enabling communications to be established between the chip 134 andthe circuit board 36 of the printer 10.

FIG. 17 shows a first embodiment of the cartridge 22 with the ink supplyreservoir 54 arranged on a left side of the cartridge 22 and the stack70 arranged on the right side of the cartridge 22.

FIG. 18 shows another embodiment of the cartridge 22 with the stack 70arranged on the left side of the cartridge 22 and the ink supplyreservoir 54 being arranged on the right side of the cartridge 22.

FIG. 19 shows yet a further embodiment with the stack 70 arranged at afront of the cartridge 22 with the ink supply reservoir 54 beingarranged at a rear of the cartridge 22.

FIG. 20 shows yet a further embodiment with the stack 70 arranged on theplaten 118 with the ink supply reservoir 54 being arranged below theplaten 118. It will be appreciated also, with reference to thisembodiment that the ink supply reservoir 54 could be arranged above thestack of paper 70 although this will increase the height of thecartridge 22 and, accordingly, the height of the printer 10.

The cartridge 22 is a disposable unit so that, once its ink supply andpaper supply have been depleted, the cartridge is disposed of. Instead,the cartridge 22 may be re-useable. In the latter case, once the supplyof ink and paper in the cartridge 22 have been depleted and thecartridge 22 is ejected from the printer 10, the used, empty cartridge22 can be taken by a user to a supplier for a refund. It is to be notedthat the cartridge 22 is automatically ejected from the printer 10 onceits supply of paper and/or ink has been depleted.

As described above, the printer 10 is intended particularly for use in amotor vehicle. The printer 10 is dimensioned to fit in numerouspositions in a passenger compartment 130 (FIG. 21) of a motor vehicle132. The printer 10 is, desirably, mounted where it is readilyaccessible within the passenger compartment 130 of the vehicle 132.

Various desirable locations within the passenger compartment 130 are nowdescribed. Firstly, a printer, designated by the reference numeral 10.1,can be mounted in a dashboard 134 of the vehicle 132. This provides agood location at least for front occupants of the passenger compartment130 and, usually, this part of the dashboard 134 of the vehicle 132 isunoccupied by other equipment.

A second desirable location is in an overhead fitting 136 arranged abovea rear view mirror 138 of the passenger compartment 130. Thus, a printer10.2 can be mounted in this fitting 136. Once again, this provides goodaccess, at least for front occupants of the passenger compartment.

Another location in the passenger compartment for a printer 10.3 is aglovebox 140. This is a convenient location in that the printer 10.3 canbe built into the lid 140 of the glovebox. This renders the printer 10.3readily accessible for servicing purposes.

Yet a further location is in an upper region of a console 142 asillustrated by printer 10.4. Another suitable location for a printer10.5 is in a lower region of the console 142 where, for example, cointrays or the like are sometimes mounted. A further suitable location isin a central armrest 144 of the passenger compartment 130 in which aprinter 10.6 could be installed. Still further, if there is sufficientspace, printers 10.7 could be built into door arm rests 146 of thepassenger compartment. Only the person adjacent such a door armrest willhave easy access to the printer 10.7 but this need not necessarily be amajor inconvenience.

It will also be appreciated that more than one printer could be providedin the passenger compartment. Although not shown, printers could also beprovided in back rests of the front seats of the passenger compartment130.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the exemplified locationsas described above are not the only locations in which printers 10 couldbe installed and it is conceivable that printers could be stored in lessconvenient location such as in footwells of the passenger compartment130, under the front seats, in an arm rest of a rear seat of thepassenger compartment 130, or the like.

Also, it is envisaged that receiving sockets for printers could bemolded into relevant fittings in the passenger compartment 130 duringmanufacture of the vehicle 132. The receiving sockets could includewiring for the printer 10. The receiving sockets could then be closedoff by blanking plates, the relevant blanking plate being removed tofacilitate installation of the printer 10.

In another embodiment of the invention, the printers 10 are built intoand form part of car audio devices, which are often referred to as incar entertainment (ICE) units.

Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 22 of the drawings, an ICE unit 150 isillustrated. The ICE unit 150 incorporates a radio having an LCD display152, a CD player having a slot 154 in a front panel of the unit 150 andvarious controls 158.

The ICE unit 150 includes a printer 10 as described above including thecartridge 22. The ICE unit 150 includes controls 160 for controllingprinting from the printer 10. The controls 160 are used for instructingthe printer 10 to print required information. Depending on the materialto be printed, the LCD 152 can be used for previewing material to beprinted.

It is envisaged that this embodiment of the invention will be used forprinting information from radio broadcasts, CD's played in the CD player150, or the like.

Referring now FIG. 23 of the drawings a variation of the ICE unit 150illustrated in FIG. 22 is illustrated. With reference to FIG. 22, likereference numerals refer to like parts, unless otherwise specified.

In this embodiment of the invention, the ICE unit 150 includes a slot162 in which a digital camera 164 is received. The digital camera 164and the slot 162 have corresponding electrical contacts so thatinformation can be downloaded from the camera 164 to be printed via theprinter 10. Accordingly, it is an advantage of this embodiment of theinvention that information from a digital camera can be downloaded assoon as a user of the camera has used the camera and/or has returned tothe vehicle 132. Thus, the user need not, unlike at present, await theuser's return to a venue where the camera can communicate with acomputer for downloading information captured by the camera 164.

It is also contemplated that a suitable slot 162 could be incorporatedin, for example, the dashboard 134 of the vehicle 132 as illustrated at166 so that a camera can be incorporated in the vehicle 132 for printingon any one of the printers 10.1 to 10.7. In other words, the slot 166need not form part of an ICE unit but may be provided as a separatefeature in the vehicle 132 in association with one of the printers 10.1to 10.7.

Referring now to FIGS. 24 and 25 of the drawings, a further ICE unit 170is provided. In this embodiment, the ICE unit 170, in addition to a CDplayer 172 and a radio having controls 174, includes a full color LCD176. The ICE unit 170 further functions as a satellite navigation unitand may also be used for receiving television signals. The unit 170incorporates a printer 10 of the type described above. The unit 170includes controls 178. These controls 178 are GPS controls and are usedfor satellite navigation purposes. In addition, a further bank ofcontrols 180 is provided for controlling the printer 10.

With this unit 170, a map, or the like, can be downloaded and printedvia the printer 10 or images from the LCD 176 when it is used as atelevision receiver can be printed via the printer 10.

The unit 170 shown in FIG. 25 of the drawings, once again, incorporatesa slot 182 for receiving a digital camera 184. The slot 182 and thedigital camera 184 therefore have corresponding electrical contacts forenabling data to be downloaded from the digital camera 184 to be printedon the printer 10.

Accordingly, it is an advantage of the invention that an in-vehicleprinter 10 is provided for enabling suitable materials to be downloadedand printed rapidly. Further, the fact that the printhead 34 of theprinter 10 uses a pagewidth, full color printhead means that highquality images can be printed using the printer 10. It will also beappreciated that, due to the fact that the printhead 34 is a pagewidthprinthead and does not traverse the media on which an image is beingprinted, it is less susceptible to jolting, bumping or other suchdisturbances. In other words, it is less likely to produce a poorquality image even if printing is taking place while the vehicle ismoving.

1. An accessory for a conveyance, the accessory comprising: a receivingelement dimensioned so as to at least partially accommodate a datarecording device; and an electrical connection means contained in saidelement for engaging corresponding contacts of said device when saiddevice is accommodated by the receiving element, to thereby enable datato be downloaded from said device.
 2. The accessory of claim 1, whereinthe data recording device is a digital camera and the receiving elementis dimensioned to at least partially accommodate said camera.
 3. Theaccessory of claim 2, wherein the receiving element comprises asocket-defining member.
 4. The accessory of claim 3, wherein thesocket-defining member is contained in a fitting in a passengercompartment of the conveyance, the electrical connection means of thesocket-defining member being wired into an electrical wiring circuit ofthe conveyance.
 5. The accessory of claim 3, wherein the socket-definingmember is contained in an audio unit, the audio unit being connectableto an electrical wiring circuit of the conveyance.
 6. The accessory ofclaim 5, wherein the audio unit includes a display, the device beingconfigured to display images on the display based on the data downloadedfrom the device.
 7. The accessory of claim 6, wherein the audio unitincludes satellite navigation equipment configured to display navigationinformation on the display.
 8. The accessory of claim 6 or 7, whereinthe audio unit includes a printer configured to enable printing ofimages based on the displayed images.
 9. The accessory of claim 8,including a control means for enabling a user to control downloading anddisplay of images based on the data from the device.
 10. The accessoryof claim 4, including a printer mounted in the passenger compartment,the printer communicating with the socket-defining member via the wiringcircuit of the conveyance.
 11. The accessory of claim 5, including aprinter mounted in the passenger compartment, the printer communicatingwith the audio unit via the wiring circuit of the conveyance.
 12. Theaccessory of claim 8, 10 or 11 in which the printer is a full colorprinter.
 13. The accessory of claim 12 in which said printer is a photoquality color printer.
 14. The accessory of claim 12 in which theprinter is an inkjet printer.
 15. The accessory of claim 14 in which theprinter comprises a pagewidth inkjet printhead.
 16. The accessory ofclaim 15 in which the printhead comprises an inkjet nozzle array, thearray being fabricated by microelectromechanical techniques.
 17. Theaccessory of claim 1, the receiving element including a slot.
 18. Theaccessory of claim 17, the data recording device having a body, the slotbeing dimensioned so as to partially accommodate the body.